Promise 約束 Oneshot ver
by MISSthsangster
Summary: A not-so-romantic story where a guardian ,who kept a pendant that assumedly belonged to someone who has saved his life long time ago when he was still alive, has somehow managed to find who it was belonged to by being summoned by the owner himself. At the end, he thought he had zero attachments to the world. But even god could not predict that he would be completely wrong.


**AN ;** Hi guys. It took me quite a long time to make a decision whether I should publish this or not. I'm certainly not good at English writing as a foreigner myself. So I was kinda in running out of words state sometimes. I tried to make it as much simple as it's supposed to be and if I've made any mistakes. I'm sorry. This is my first time writing fiction in English. Though, Hope you guys enjoy!

 _*I don't own any rights of these characters or any details from Nasuverse.*_

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Promise.

No, Promises. That'd be more accurate.

Their fate had been leaded by the promises they'd made with people passing by time to time. Ones can be made to fight, ones also can be made to love and care. And promises can be made to do nothing at all. Even if it's not the best choice to decide so anyway.

That's some kinds of what an aquamarine eyed magus, the only heiress of Tohsaka household had to choose, which kind of a promise she could possibly make at the time?

She had made the hardest yet at the same time simplest as it was decision 2 years ago. To destroy the Holy Grail, not to win for it but over it. Everytime she looks at crimson sky of some peaceful evenings and the fascinating sunset will always remind her of those memories. The Holy Grail War, Her fights as a Tohsaka magus

and _**him**_.

 _...Ah, she'd given him one as well. A promise._

Even now, when she closed her eyes. Piece by piece, a conversation she had with that person will be repeating again like a retro drama on Television. She couldn't remember some of it. Though, the most important parts are crystal clear.

Her face was shadowed by her beautiful brunette bangs. Black short skirt of hers fluttering as some warm yet uncomfortable feels of breeze ran through her body and stiffened up all her muscle. Rin Tohsaka, who knows how to deal many challenging things has once fallen in complete silence did not know what to do. Her rosy lips parted for a sec, and then shut again.

"...Too bad."

That deep husky voice began to break this long silence haughtily.

"Well, but that's what happened. Give up this holy grail, Rin."

When her name was called, that's the moment she looked up at the one and only, her first servant, Emiya the heroic spirit who had been rejecting his own existence. His figure began fading away while he's standing there right in front of her and no matter how fatigued he was. He managed to look exactly the same as they first met. That smirk he's wearing on the lips with calmness in the same time bold expression on the face. Everything feel the same to Rin except for one thing, the unregretted looks in his eyes. It seemed like some clouds filled-up with sadness had been lifted off a long time ago and left the brave shine kind of looks to him. Behind that masculine body was remarkable sunrise raying the reflection of the sky on his armor. His red cloak was cut and dirty unlike before they entered the war. But he was still him after all. He's her archer. That fact can't be mistaken even though they're not officially in contract anymore.

"Ha."

His sudden laugh surprised her as she frowned.

"W-What? You should not have laughed at a time like this!"

Rin raised her voice to the man.

"Sorry, it's just that you look so helpless. And I am quite amused how worn-out we are right now."

"..."

Then she fell in another silence again just to bring up something she should not among all such of things.

"Archer, form the contract with me again."

Archer was only staring at her as an answer. Her offer was one thing he might be regretted for denying afterward. They both knew well that if Archer returned to the Throne of Heroes, he'd lost all of his answers he's been craving for. Archer would be all alone in that empty dead field surrounding by the swords he continuously traced from wars he'd fought. Go back to the very start line as he's regretted his own decisions.

And that's not what Rin wanted.

Though, the man knew he'd not be able to remember this offer anyway so it didn't matter for him. In fact, he would not even recall meeting the girl who saved his poor little life. The owner of that red pendant, the one he'd been carrying for his entire lifetime. Rin Tohsaka.

That fact made him sad a little bit.

 _At least, I returned it to its owner for once._

Thinking of it that way helped him feel more relieved.

"I can't do that." Archer finalized this chapter of his journey with regrets-free answer. The man slowly said as he turned his back to her. "I don't have any rights to do so. Besides, I don't have goals anymore."

This is alright.

For him, this is alright. He had found the answer that he never realized he ever needed.

Shirou Emiya that he had met was someone who could go right at to an end and he won't be regretted with it. That's enough of a desire he could be rewarded from the holy grail.

"...one day."

Rin's voice was so soft as she murmured with her face looking down. She gradually walked up to him swallowing a lump in her throat without the man noticing and then she continued.

"One day, we'll meet again...

Let's at least form us this _**promise**_."

Archer turned his face back to her but the sudden appearance of Rin causing him to draw back a little bit. The two were standing at the edge of a hill facing each other in short distance. He realized Rin's dark long hair without twin tail was not the Rin he was used to. Without it, her perfect beauty was even upgraded to the mature level of her own self. The seriousness around Rin reminds him of when he said something unacceptable to her and she turned to a Rin without any kinds of goofy expressions. The girl he always pleased to tease and messed around with had gone by that moment. Only the young clever lady who is in charge of many responsibilities including being his master was there.

Rin took a deep breath. Her gaze was fueled with some strong will that he couldn't understand what it was. And before any of them took another breath. Rin stepped up even closer to her ex-servant on her tiptoes. One hand wrapped around his neck hesitatingly, shakingly, and then with her eyes shutting.

She pressed her lips against his.

At first, she wasn't so sure if this was the right thing to do. But when she intended to pull away, Archer's arms instead embraced her in a loose hug. His existence was so slight that she barely felt him touching her. Their lips still stayed against one another and Rin heard a sound between amusement and satisfaction.

Archer didn't move in a pause so the magus almost thought he'd already gone. A few seconds later, the man realized there's no time to hold back. He'd disappear anytime soon so he had nothing left to fear. Archer, just like that, gave the girl a tighter hug and a long sort of kiss.

His response to her kiss was unexpected so Rin thought they should talk about it. Surprisingly, the confusion handed the servant an opportunity to kiss her deeply with more passionate as her mouth opened wide. His professional moves had Rin gasping and panicked even more. Their tongue were connecting and even fighting as the kiss getting more intense. Archer decided to carry her up in a position that they both used to. His hand grabbed around her waist and the other with her thighs. Rin's gripping at his shoulders like she was afraid this moment would end and she'd be left alone.

Archer finally released her lips to be free. The magus was panting with her glossy lips and gorgeous eyes full of desperation yet loving were locked up with tears that barely be let out. Her in-need-of-oxygen state by him kissing her too long and flushing face trying to hold back those tears looked so cute to the point that made the man smile without realizing it.

The white haired man moved his forehead forwards for touching with hers. They both enjoying each other company for few minutes.

"...Sorry."

The first word that came out his mouth after their first kiss was the apology.

Rin rose her eyebrow with curiosity.

"Sorry for taking this long, to be able to find myself…

And to be able to find you, the girl who saved my life without even knowing me well."

With that explanation and the apologetic puppy looks on his face, Rin laughed a little. It can't help. At the time like this, it's hilarious that his reaction seemed to be the exact same like Shirou. Although she knew full well that they're the same person. But the idea didn't sink in to her brain as much as this moment.

Rin admitted that she thought he was going to give her a huge smirk and make fun of her way of confrontation. Yet, it was absolutely better this way.

"It's fine." She forgave him with a cute smile of her. "Archer… no, Emiya-kun." She called hoarsely. Her eyes maintained on his face. On her left hand which isn't the one holding on his shoulder, there're black velvet ribbons she's been using since she was a kid. The magus told him to let her go and be teased about the kiss might have after effect so she should be careful. Rin hit him with a small fist meanwhile standing on her own.

She cautiously tied the ribbons up as knots twice to each on his wrists. As she's doing so. Archer who had kept looking at her started to talk.

"You do know it won't last after I go, right?"

"...I do." Rin whispered but her hands didn't stop. She simply added.

"But I put some spells in them, hopefully it works though. Either way, I want you to keep it."

She finished the knots and stepped back in order to look at him with full sight.

Looking at her ribbons… no, they're now _**his**_. They somehow happened to suit him. Well, less than her, of course. She wore them better. But it'd not be denied he looked totally fine wearing them as a reminder of her. In fact, Archer will always look fine whatever he'll be wearing.

Rin blused a little as she snapped out of the thought. She cleared her troat as she claming herself down. Rin then honestly said.

"I honestly want you to stay here, but that'd be selfish of me to do. So I want you to accept this promise I'm giving you right now."

Archer nodded quietly, he had no clues what she possibly thought of at this moment. But it might be something like he had to take care of himself, stuffs like that. Which he'd try his best to make sure her worries would not been wasted.

But the next thing she brought up was off his limits.

"I want to promise to you, that one day… we'll see each other at the throne.

Me and you… _**as the guardians.**_ "

"That's not…"

Archer widen eyes looked straight in hers shockingly. "Tohsaka!" He scolded

"Hehe… that sounds so much like Emiya-kun." She giggled but turned back the serious face as soon as the sound of her laugh had gone. "I've made up my mind. And you know that no one can convince me otherwise after I make a decision."

"...and what about your dream?" Archer slowly argued with his deep low pitched voice. "You can't do it, Rin. It's not a place where you belong."

"My dream is being a proud magus of Tohsaka household. And that's this. I couldn't be more proud to be able to save you as a powerful magus in one day."

"But I'll forget about you." Archer said.

She gently smiled. "I know."

"I'll not be able to remember our contract."

"...I know."

"I'll not be able to remember this promise, you'd not have anyone who genuinely wait for you to help. The Emiya you will meet is not even worthy, to spend your whole life donating yourself as a guardian with him. It's like step on to a never ending hell. Not to mention if you couldn't make it there."

His words were getting louder and stronger as he hated his own self for not being able to do anything even stopping her from following his path that even he's regretted.

She sighed.

"Yeah, I understand."

"Even so…"

he was stopped by her finger tip on his lips.

"But It's not donation." She corrected him. "It's love I'm talking about."

And for the first time ever, Rin Tohsaka never felt like a winner more than this moment of her life. Not even winning the holy grail war. That's not even close to the victory she just received.

She finally managed to make Archer blushed. And his face was as _**red**_ as the cloak he wearing.

The man looked away raising his hands that having her ribbon on up as a sign of giving up. He had been perfectly defeated by his own master. It's troublesome, really. But it's something he had to deal with a girl like her.

"Then, I'll accept that promise."

Archer helplessly replied. Without warning, he pulled her into his warmth embrace once more. His body almost was at its limits. His legs were fragmented as their forms and shape blurry.

Rin gradually returned the hug, her arms were folding behind his neck. In this peaceful silence, she could feel and hear Archer's heartbeats as a music in her ears. Recognizing that made her chest beated faster as well.

"I still can remember a girl I had a crush on for a very long time when I was still alive."

Suddenly, having Rin resting her head on his pounding chest and later on talked about his old crush was not exactly one of the things she wished he'd do.

She poke her fists on his chest. Hard and many times.

"Rin, I'm dying. That's correct. But it doesn't mean I can't feel pain."

"Seriously? All of these times you decided to break the mood with this?"

"...Have I ever told you that you're really short temper kind of person?"

She heard his sighs.

"Multiple times."

Rin huffed

"Well, hear me out first." Archer laughed "It started at…Aaa, let me think. During school days? Secondary school I guess if I wasn't wrong."

It felt like a billion year ago for Archer, he couldn't recall quite well.

"And then? You're gonna tell me that you won't remember me and still maintain to recall a girl who you had a crush on when you're in secondary school? Is that it? Hmmph! And who is it… I guess you-"

"It's you."

Rin stopped whining.

Archer's back at his old self again as a smirk began to spread wider all over his lips. His attractive charms he had gotten since the day Rin summoned him, the ability to tease her, were working at its full-engine.

"Eh… that means…Shirou...from the beginning."

That's her turn to be caught up embarrassed as Rin's hot cheeks pouting up. The long haired girl looked away in aside and quickly digged in her mind. She knew Shirou was interested in her for awhile and fell for her in some points. But not expected it to be that long time ago.

Secondary school, huh…

…Almost at the same time she's once _**fell**_ for him.

"W...Well, as I already told you. U...Um, to your younger self." Rin bubbled while pretending she didn't see a looks on his face that adoring her like a cute little animal.

"I don't don't like you...either."

"...pfft."

He snapped.

"Shut up! Idiot!"

She blasted.

That's a thing for them to do.

After a few same old kind of conversations. Rin finally stopped scolding.

"Take good care of me, will ya? Rin."

The man asked. He kissed her on a cheek and felt her warmth as his lips brushed by her skin. The kiss seemed to calm her down and had her quite in his manly arms as well. He hold her tighter even though the hug was already tight enough to make her notice that he's still with her.

"As you know, I'm unreliable."

He then moved his lips and kissed each of her eyelids. Longingly, Protectively, Passionately cared them with his gentle kisses. Try to remember her as a portrait in every single part. Remember the Rin Tohsaka who had saved his life and voluntarily continued to do so. The one who gave him the precious promise.

"...Yeah."

She smiled.

"Don't worry… Tohsaka."

He wanted to call her with his voice one last time. Archer openly smiled back at the girl he had always loved and still does. She stared at him as his figure fading away even more. Rin bitten her lips. A part of her did not want to let him go. Not at all.

"I will try my best from now on, too."

He said, something in his voice made Rin feel so melancholy that she shed a tear on her cheek.

"We'll see each other again real soon, Idiot."

"...I'll be waiting."

At the very last moment, He then confessed.

"I love you."

And eventually, he's gone.

"I love you too…you fools."

She whispered to the emptiness in front of her.

"I love you too." And again, with her louder voice.

Even he couldn't hear it anyway.

 **(Promise : One shot. End)**

 **Talks**

That's pretty much Rin, wasn't it? To confess her love without noticing it and willingly confess after he's gone.

As in my opinion, Rin did not develop her feelings for Shirou as for Sakura's sake but instead, started to understand him as a person through Archer's perspective which is what I love so much about this couple (Archer/Rin).

Though in nasuverse, it's obvious for me that Rin has feelings towards Shirou at the end. But I'll keep dreaming that her love for Shirou is somehow also for Archer in alternative future as well. The will that wish to save him wasn't shown much in Anime because she believed she couldn't help him and only Shirou himself could. And that Rin I respect, but the only reason she thought that because she's a type of person who don't trust in waiting for other people helps before trying to save yourself first. Also not the type of person who stick their noses in other's business. That's why she's been standing at the back, watching them in the dark even though she already figured out Archer's true identity for quite awhile.

But in this, I chose to make Rin kind of opposite. What I mean is that, Rin couldn't stand his suffers and decided to jump in the problem with him. This story, Rin did not have strong determination to help changing Shirou into another complete positive self-loved person but she just let him be himself as much as he doesn't do something too stupid or out of line.

The one who Rin chose to save in 'Promise' is Archer, not Shirou Emiya.

Might as well continue this story as a serie. It might be [ArcherxRin] with Shirou as a third weel(?). Living in London and go study at Clock Tower trying to keep the promise she gave to Archer while Shirou continues to win her heart back from his future self. I don't know, if I have free time I'll try to. Thank you for reading anyway! Feel free to comment and talk. I always open for different kinds of opinions.


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